Shoe



Oct. T1925 T. RODRIGUEZ SHOE Filed May 2'7, 1925 lNV ENTOR T Rodriquez BY A ATTORNEY around'the ankle of the Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES THOMAS RODRIGUEZ, or YONKERS, NEW YORK. siren.

Application filed May 27, 1925. 'SeriaI'N 33,125.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RODRIGUEZ, a citizen of Spain, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of this invention is to provide a fastening means used in combination with shoes having for its sole purpose the elimination of buttons, eyelets, or the shoe lacing means. This invention aims to provide a quick fastening means which is operated by pulling a pair of strings taut, in this manner securely folding the upper person.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe, showing the fastening means on the upper thereof, which is illustrated in partly opened position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view, showing the arrangement of the pull strings.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the locking hook as used with the fastening arrangement. I

Referring in detail to the drawing, the

numeral 10 indicates the lower portion of 18 the shoe upper which is adapted to cover the foot and is mounted upon a sole 11 and heel 12. The shoe upper is usually divided into two members which are stitched to each other at mutually adjacent edges and comprise a lower member 10, as described, and an upperelement 13 which is adapted to be wrapped about the ankle and shin and is slitted at its front end to provide room for movement of the foot when the latter is being inserted or removed from the shoe. ()ne of the edges 14 adjacent the slitis lapped under the opposing edge 15 when the upper element of the shoe upper is wrapped about the ankle. The over-lapping edge of the shoe upper 13 has an anchor button 16 at its lower end. This anchor button passes thru the shoe upper material and has an eyelet 17 on its opposite side which projects from the inner surface of the over-lapping member 15. Above this eyelet 17, a plurality of loop eyelets 18 are ri idly secured in the material and project from the under side of member 13. An additional plurality of looped eyelets external or outer adjacent the edge are of the same but are on opposite sides of member 13, as

illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. A length of string is slipped thru the eyelets so that the portion intermediate its length fits and saddles thru the eyelet 17. One end 20 of the string which passes from one side of the eyelet 17, is slipped thru the lower eyelet 18 and then courses upwardly, skipping the two next adjacent eyelets 18, passing thru the third one and then crosses to the opposite eyelet 19 on the reverse edge 14. The cord 20 then the next adjacent upper eyelet 19 and again crosses to the opposing eyelet 18, finally passing thru the upper eyelet 18 and having sufiieient length as to wrap approximately one and one-half times about the ankle. The opposite end 21 of the. string crosses from the eyelet 17 to the lowermost eyelet 19 and then to the next adjacent one, being looped thru the latter eyelet from which position it courses across to the eyelet 18, thence-to the next adjacent eyelet, after which it crosses to the'opposite eyelet 19 and then skips the two immediately adjacent eyelets 19, finally being slipped thru the upper eyelet 19 and the uppermost eyelet This arrangement is aptly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The ends of the strings 20 and 21 are knotted after being slipped thru the rings 22 of the locking clip, illustrated in Figure 3. This locking clip is of one piece integral construction and 1s r0- vided with a resilient snap hook 23 which is adapted to engage a wire stay 24 fixed to the upper rear portion of member 13, as illustrated in Figure 1. The hook 23 forming part of the clip is off-set in one direction from the rings 22 and a lever 25 formed by continuing one end of the, wire outwardly in the same direction as the hook 23, is provided, said lever extending parallel with the hook 23.

The strings -20 and 21 are adapted when tautened, to engage the hook 21 after said strings have been wrapped approximately one and one-half times about the members 13 to lock or fasten the shoe in osition wrapped securely about the foot. 0 open or -unfasten the fixing means, the lever 25 which extends rearwardly, when engaging passes from this eyelet to member 21, is pried outwardly, thus rotating the entire member illustrated in Figure 3 about the ring 22, which disengages the hook 23 from member 24. The strings 20 and 21 are then loosened, and by grasping the edge 15 and pulling the same outwardly, the shoe upper 13 is loosened or unwrapped from the ankle of the foot, which may then be conveniently withdrawn. To wrap the shoe upper 13 about the foot, the reverse operation takes place, that is, the flap or edge 15 is pulled away from the edge 14, the foot is slipped into the shoe, and the strings 20 and 21 are then taut'ened and their outer or free ends wrapped about the shoe upper 13, one and one-half times until the hook 23 engages member 24, as previously described.

I claim 1. In a shoe having a shoe upper sli ted at its forward end, a plurality of eyelets fixed to the external surface of the shoe ,upper adjacent the slitted edge, a plurality of eyelets fastened to the interior surface of the shoe upper adjacent opposite edges of the slit, a double length of string anchored at the lower portion of the slit, said strings passing thru one eyelet on one side of the slit and thence crossing to the eyelet of the opposite side of the slit,'said arrangement being continued thruout the length of the slit, and fastening means on said strings adapted to be secured to a member fixed on the external surface at the rear of the shoe upper.

2. In a shoe having a shoe upper slitted at its forward end, a plurality of eyelets fixed to the external surface of the shoe upper adjacent the slittcd edge, a plurality of eyelets fastened to the interior surface of the shoe upper adja ent opposite edges of the slit, a double length of string anchored at the lower portion of the slit, said strings passing thru one eyelet on one side of the slit and thcncc crossing te the eyelet of the Opposite side of the slit, said arrangement being continued thruout the length of the slit, fastening means on said strings adapted to be secured to a member fixed on the external Sltlfthtill' the rear of the shoe upper, said strings at their upper ends passing thru a single eyelet.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

THOMAS RODRIGUEZ. 

